Next of Kin
by Xeen Cyr
Summary: missing scene - The No-Brainer


**Next of Kin**

_No in FRiNGEment intended. _

Note: missing scene. -- "The No-Brainer"

_For whatever reasons, my stories don't always show under FRINGE, please be kind enough to check my profile if you want to find them all ;)_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Night-night sweetie," Olivia pecked Ella's cheek gently and smiled.

"Good night aunt Liv."

"Do you want the light on?"

"Would it be okay?" the tot asked, guilt written all over her attentive face. "I'm not a baby."

"Of course it is okay Ella! You've been very brave today, you know, I'm so proud of you."

The little girl watched her aunt very seriously, apparently failed at understanding what she meant and said. "Okay then."

Olivia tucked the blanket and smiled again. She switched on a lamp near the bed and stroked her hair.

"I'll leave this lamp on. Sweet dreams," she kissed her, "and call me if you need me."

"Aunt Liv?"

"Yes sweetie…"

"Can you ask Peter if he wants to come up and kiss me good night?"

"Peter?"

"I heard his voice," the girl beamed, "do you think he would?"

"I'm sure he would have loved to Ella, but he's gone. He was only… returning something."

"Oh… I see," Ella sounded disappointed, "night aunt Liv."

She rolled over to face the doorway and squeezed her teddy. Her eyes glistened for a brief moment in the shadowy light then she closed them and sighed heavily. Olivia watched her until her breathing was even and kissed her again before trotting down the stairs. Rachel was back in the living room, a magazine in her lap, nursing her glass of wine.

"Hey," she said. "What took you so long?"

"I… she, --I, I guess I wanted to make sure she was alright."

"She is Liv, the doctor said she was okay. And Charlie made her totally forgot about this computer thingy, whatever it was. He was so funny, you know. He let her use his walkie and all kinds of gadgets you super spies have got plenty of in your fancy black SUVs," she grinned. "He was very sweet."

"I bet he was," Olivia slumped down on her couch and brushed her forehead.

"What is it supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, sorry, I'm tired, it's been a long day."

"Yes I know. And Ella was on the front line."

"Rach, you've got every right to blame me for what happened to Ella today, I don't know… God, if something had of happened to her..."

"Sis, nothing happened, don't torment yourself with things that did not happened. For the record, Liv, I don't blame you."

"Thanks Rach, I know you've hit a rough patch lately with Greg and all and I'm really really sorry I snapped at you." She hesitated and cast her a hesitant glance.

"It's not about Charlie is it? It's all about that boyfriend of yours!" Rachel exclaimed. She was grinning.

"I don't have a boyfriend," Olivia trailed. She sipped on her glass and tried to conceal her embarrassment. She sat on her right leg and made a show at making go away an invisible stain on her pant.

"Of course you don't," stated her sister with a smug, "that's why you get so territorial when it comes to him."

"No I don't."

"Oh yes you do, and for your information, it's not like we jumped each other's bones, he was playing with Ella… and I might have been…"

"Your usual self?"

"I guess. Listen, there's nothing I can do about it, that's just the way I am," she shrugged.

"Forthcoming and flirtatious?" Olivia grinned back.

"That's me! Rachel 2F, reporting for duty."

Olivia wrinkled her nose and frowned looking concerned again. She cleared her throat. "I didn't mean to ask you but what about Greg?"

"What about him?" Rachel asked coldly, her body language clearly indicating that Olivia was off limits.

"Are you still together?" she asked bluntly. "Have you had the talk about Ella?"

"Well, I would say that the fact that I'm at your place speaks volumes and I'd rather not talk about it tonight, --please?"

Olivia smiled and leaned to her to take her hand. Rachel smiled back.

"Liv, I won't steal your boyfriend, I swear," she said.

"I don't have a boyfriend, stop that already!" Olivia backed away and frowned again. "Peter is a colleague. Technically, he's not even a colleague, he's a civilian consultant."

"Oh, that's how they call it these days?"

"Rachel!" she said flushing madly. "He's a friend. There's nothing between Peter and me."

"Okay. Let's put it this way then. If he's a friend why didn't you invite him in? The poor guy walks his way over and comes knocking at your door. From where I was standing he seemed pretty smitten and you just send him away? What does it say about you?"

"I… I didn't th… oh, you think I should have…"

"Of course you should have! Liv, what's wrong with you for crying out loud? Put it that way: if I was not in the picture, would you have invited him in?"

"Yes, I guess," she answered without thinking.

"My point exactly. You care about him and you probably don't want the competition."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't challenge me Liv, I'm just trying to help you out here. Let's get focused on the basics. If he's a consultant, regulations don't apply right? Because I don't want you to take the same road you took with Lucas and that John guy, this one used to give me the creeps."

"What?"

Rachel waved her hand with energy.

"So "Dating for dummies": sis, I'm sorry to break it to you but when the object of your lust comes knocking on your door, you NEVER send him away."

"I did, did I?" Olivia asked in a soft voice.

"Hello! If you didn't, where he is? What are you, sixteen? Wake up sis it's not high school anymore. Oh, I forgot, you were too busy to date during high school, you were even to busy to go to the prom for heaven's sake!"

Olivia shrugged tentatively.

"Last time I checked, Peter was ready to barge in." Rachel's grin went bigger. "Let me guess, it was the first time he made it alone to your place after 8:00 pm and it was not work related?"

Olivia nodded, and she felt her cheeks going red again.

"And he had to get wasted to summon up his strength, now what does it say about him? Oh my god, you two aren't out of the woods yet."

"He had a few drinks, but it was because of his father."

"His father? You lost me here."

"Yes, he lives with his father," Olivia shook her head, avoiding locking eyes with her sister. "Rachel, it is complicated."

"Oh… my… god! And here I was, thinking that my life was a mess! Okay. Next time, be prepared Liv."

"Next time?"

"There'll be a next time, you can take me at my word. So listen carefully, next time, get over yourself and offer him a) to come inside b) to have a last night cap and c) to stay over under any false pretence."

"Yes M'am."

"Really?"

"Really… thanks Rach, you know I'm really dumb when it comes to manage relationships."

"Stop analysing and go for it. And save the angst for your job! That's your sister advice. And once you do, Olivia?"

"Yes?"

"I want to hear all the juicy details…"

Olivia chuckled. Rachel leaped from her armchair and went briskly to the kitchen. "Have you got any crackers or peanuts Liv?" she asked, raising her voice. "Did I tell you that Peter looks so much like this guy in "_Dawson's Creek_", the one I had a crush on in ninth grade? God sis, how can you resist to jump into the sack with Pacey?"

"Who the hell is Pacey?" asked Olivia from the doorway.

-o-

_Any thoughts? I hated so much that love triangle tptb tried _

_to throw us down the throat I had to do something to defuse it ;)_


End file.
